Veterinarian demographics and statistics in the US
Veterinarian demographics research summary. Zippia estimates veterinarian demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our veterinarian estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about veterinarians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 49,434 veterinarians currently employed in the United States.
- 62.9% of all veterinarians are women, while 37.1% are men.
- The average veterinarian age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of veterinarians is White (83.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.1%), Asian (4.8%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 87% of what men earned.
- 15% of all veterinarians are LGBT.
- Veterinarians are 52% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Veterinarian demographics by:
Veterinarian gender statistics
62.9% of veterinarians are women and 37.1% of veterinarians are men.
- Female, 62.9%
- Male, 37.1%
Veterinarian gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 62.9% |
| Male | 37.1% |
Veterinarian gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$114,519
Female income
$99,766
Veterinarian gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in veterinarian positions over time. Currently, 62.9% of veterinarians are female.
Veterinarian gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 49.88% | 50.12% |
| 2011 | 51.59% | 48.41% |
| 2012 | 48.94% | 51.06% |
| 2013 | 49.95% | 50.05% |
| 2014 | 48.04% | 51.96% |
| 2015 | 45.33% | 54.67% |
| 2016 | 40.91% | 59.09% |
| 2017 | 42.60% | 57.40% |
| 2018 | 38.44% | 61.56% |
| 2019 | 39.03% | 60.97% |
| 2020 | 34.87% | 65.13% |
| 2021 | 37.06% | 62.94% |
Veterinarian related jobs gender ratio
We compared veterinarians with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Veterinarian | 37% | 63% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Veterinarian demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among veterinarians is White, which makes up 83.1% of all veterinarians. Comparatively, 6.1% of veterinarians are Hispanic or Latino and 4.8% of veterinarians are Asian.
- White, 83.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 6.1%
- Asian, 4.8%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- Black or African American, 1.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Veterinarian race
| Veterinarian race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 83.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.1% |
| Asian | 4.8% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Veterinarian race and ethnicity over time
See how veterinarian racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Veterinarian race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.90% | 1.50% | 3.71% | 4.49% |
| 2011 | 88.91% | 1.53% | 3.66% | 4.31% |
| 2012 | 89.67% | 1.14% | 3.55% | 4.54% |
| 2013 | 88.69% | 1.70% | 3.45% | 4.88% |
| 2014 | 87.47% | 1.28% | 3.69% | 5.91% |
| 2015 | 87.69% | 1.23% | 3.92% | 5.01% |
| 2016 | 88.34% | 1.34% | 3.19% | 5.07% |
| 2017 | 87.52% | 1.54% | 3.39% | 5.57% |
| 2018 | 85.69% | 1.64% | 5.12% | 5.41% |
| 2019 | 87.66% | 1.54% | 4.68% | 4.68% |
| 2020 | 83.30% | 0.81% | 5.54% | 5.21% |
| 2021 | 83.13% | 1.40% | 4.84% | 6.07% |
Veterinarian wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown veterinarians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino veterinarians have the lowest average salary at $106,772.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $120,801 |
| White | $113,423 |
| Black or African American | $119,975 |
| Asian | $112,221 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $106,772 |
Average veterinarian age
See how the average age of veterinarians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Veterinarian age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40.5 | |
| White | 48 | 41 |
| Asian | 39 | 37 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 38 |
Veterinarian age breakdown
The average age of veterinarians is 40+ years years old, representing 57% of the veterinarian population.
Veterinarian age breakdown
| Veterinarian Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 36% |
| 20-30 years | 8% |
Veterinarian educational attainment
The most common degree for veterinarians is bachelor's degree, with 44% of veterinarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 32% and doctoral degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Doctorate, 32%
- Master's, 7%
- Associate, 7%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Veterinarians by degree level
| Veterinarian degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 44% |
| Doctorate | 32% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Associate | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Veterinarian jobs you might like
Veterinarian employment statistics
Most veterinarians work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where veterinarians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where veterinarians work.
Veterinarian jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Veterinarian jobs by company type
Employees with the veterinarian job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most veterinarians prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Veterinarian jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 24% |
| Public | 9% |
| Private | 52% |
| Government | 15% |
Veterinarian jobs by industry
The most common industries for veterinarians are health care, education and government.
Veterinarian industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 27% |
| Education | 20% |
| Government | 13% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Media | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
Veterinarian turnover and employment statistics
Veterinarian unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for veterinarians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Veterinarian unemployment rate by year
| Year | Veterinarian unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.88% |
| 2011 | 0.49% |
| 2012 | 0.70% |
| 2013 | 0.95% |
| 2014 | 0.43% |
| 2015 | 0.23% |
| 2016 | 0.53% |
| 2017 | 0.22% |
| 2018 | 0.19% |
| 2019 | 0.27% |
| 2020 | 0.82% |
| 2021 | 0.37% |
Average veterinarian tenure
The average veterinarian stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,757 veterinarians resumes in Zippia's database.
Veterinarian tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Veterinarian LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of veterinarians that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Chief, General Pediatric Clinic | 9.88% | 81,435 |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Gynecologist | 13.05% | 1,256 |
| Veterinarian | 14.93% | - |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Similar veterinarian jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Chief, General Pediatric Clinic | 9.88% | 81,435 |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Rolfer | 13.00% | 40 |
| Gynecologist | 13.05% | 1,256 |
| Optometrist, Owner | 17.57% | 51,669 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Foreign languages spoken by veterinarians
The most common foreign language among veterinarians is Spanish at 51.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.9% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
- Spanish, 51.1%
- French, 10.9%
- Arabic, 5.4%
- Russian, 5.4%
- Portuguese, 3.3%
- Other, 23.9%
Veterinarian languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 51.1% |
| French | 10.9% |
| Arabic | 5.4% |
| Russian | 5.4% |
| Portuguese | 3.3% |
| Other | 23.9% |
